返回字符数组或指向char literal的指针时的区别

Question

I learned that when I initialize an array of chars it's just like initializing a pointer to chars. But, if that is the situation, why does the following code output strange characters?

char* returnMe()
{
    char text[] = "Will I live forever?";
    return text;
}

While the following code:

char* returnMe()
{
    char* text = "Will I live forever?";
    return text;
}

outputs:

Will I live forever?

What exactly are the differences between these two initializations? They both act like pointers, so if I do:

puts(X); //puts get char* as a parameter in it.

It will work for both cases (When I haven't gone out of scope yet.)

Answer 1

The function containing this:

 char text[] = "Will I live forever?";

returns a pointer to a local variable called text , which contains the string "Will I live forever?". As with all local variables, that variable evaporates after the function returns, and so you are off in undefined behaviour land if you try to access it.

The function containing this:

 char* text = "Will I live forever?";

returns a pointer to some magic place in memory (but not a local variable) containing the string, which persists for the program's execution, so using that pointer is not undefined behaviour.